Sustainability

Our commitment to sustainability

At Dawson Geophysical, we are committed to improving the sustainability of communities and the resources that support them. As our seismic surveys provide a better understanding of what lies beneath the surface of the earth, we help avoid unnecessary drilling and by doing so, minimize environmental risks.

In the field, Dawson uses a variety of best management practices as well as specialized equipment to reduce noise and the disruption of wildlife, minimize the footprint from its equipment and lessen soil compaction.

Dawson employs an environmental program that has a commitment to a culture of safety, health and environmental awareness.

The safety program at Dawson is fostered by maintaining a complete Health, Safety, Security and Environmental Management System (HSSEMS) that is based on the 7 elements of the OGP (Oil & Gas Producers):

• Leadership and Commitment
• Policies and Health, Safety, Security and Environmental (HSSE) Objectives
• Organization, Responsibilities and Resources
• Hazards and Effect Management
• Planning and Procedures
• Implementation and Monitoring
• Audit and Review
• Security

A bilingual HSSE advisor is assigned to each crew and over 40 in-house HSSE training classes are offered in both English and Spanish. Dawson employees are required to complete and pass a training orientation prior to arriving on a job location. All job sites are scouted and environmental hazards, safety and health concerns are reviewed, posted and discussed with employees when they arrive on location.

When working in environmentally sensitive areas, specialized equipment is utilized to minimize the impact on the environment. For example:

• Flotation tires are used on equipment to minimize disruption to the ground surface.
• Inertial Survey Equipment is used to minimize line clearing that must be done in preparation for the job.
• Helicopters are used to transport equipment into and out of areas that would normally require vehicle traffic.

If endangered species may be present on a project site, the job is first scouted by a biologist and environmentally monitored.

• Access is restricted or not allowed into these species’ environment.
• Employees are trained to recognize endangered species. Local wildlife officials are contacted immediately upon any sighting of these species outside the restricted area.

If there are possibilities of disturbing archeological sites, an archeologist is hired to conduct a pre-job survey. Archeological sites are flagged off and all personnel and equipment are forbidden to enter.

In recognition of our commitment to protecting the earth’s resources, we have received several awards including a Restore New Mexico award for going above and beyond responsible business and environmental practices in working with the Bureau of Land Management, the New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts (NMACD), and other partners to restore over 750,000 acres of grasslands, woodlands and riparian areas on federal, state and private lands throughout the state since 2005.

Dawson is committed to a diverse and enriched work force and hires multilingual managers and supervisors and all internal documents are distributed in both English and Spanish. Every employee is offered comprehensive employee benefits, including:

• A comprehensive health plan, offering medical, prescription, and dental coverage
• Traditional and Roth 401(k) plans and matching of contributions up to 6%
• Group Life Insurance, Supplemental Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage
• Employee Assistance Program
• Extensive worker training program
• Family friendly work environment

Dawson Geophysical is committed to the betterment of our community, including a commitment to volunteer service, to youth education and to local institutions.

• Employees are encouraged to volunteer in the community.
• We assist national and local geophysical societies in funding educational programs and scholarships.
• We support local charitable organizations and events.

Dawson employs polices that promote ethical conduct and strong corporate governance.

• All directors, officers and employees must sign and adhere to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.
• Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics covers a wide range of business practices and procedures, including compliance with laws, rules and regulations, conflicts of interest, insider trading, record-keeping and reporting of questionable accounting or auditing matters, corporate opportunities, confidentiality, competition and fair dealing, protection and proper use of company assets and reporting of any illegal or unethical behavior.
• Our directors, officers, and employees are instructed to avoid situations that involve, or could appear to involve, “conflicts of interest” with regard to our interest. Exceptions may only be made after review of fully disclosed information and approval of specific or general categories by senior management (in the case of employees) or the Board (in the case of officers or directors). Our Audit Committee also has the responsibility, according to its charter, to review, assess and approve or disapprove conflicts of interest and related-party transactions.
• If an employee becomes aware of a conflict or potential conflict of interest or any other unethical or illegal behavior, we have instructed the employee to bring it to the attention of their supervisor or other appropriate personnel. 
• Employees have the ability to make anonymous reports of conflicts or potential conflicts of interest or other unethical or illegal behavior. All allegations are investigated and the results are reported to the Board of Directors.
• In addition to a general prohibition on insider trading, our directors and officers are subject to an insider trading policy prohibiting trading during certain blackout periods. 

Concern for the environment and promoting a broad agenda that benefits the lives of those in communities around us are integral to both our professional activities and the management of the company. To that point, our Sustainability Policy is based upon the following principles:

• To comply with all relevant environmental legislation and adhering to agreements and standards at local, national and international levels
• To encourage our clients and vendors to adopt sound sustainable management practices
• To reduce natural resource use and minimize and prevent adverse environmental impacts
• To integrate social and environmental concerns into all our business decisions

As we move forward, we will continue to look for new ways to improve our efforts in this area while conducting our business activities in an ethically, socially and environmentally responsible manner. You have our word.